Pulling Back
by SmashingIllusions
Summary: The second part of my trilogy, so please read Pushing Through first. Elements from both seasons will be used. SwanQueen. Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time does not belong to me.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I was truly overwhelmed by the favourites and follows and those reviews, those many reviews at the conclusion of Pushing Through, it really to pull out the draft of Part Two and re-write it and get it out there. Thank you all so much, truly humbling to have such lovely things said. I hope I can keep your attention with this part so without further ado, please enjoy!**

**Chapter One: Two Sides**

When Cora opened her eyes, she flinched at the brightness of the sun in the sky, beaming on her with intent. She sat upwards, groaning as her head ached and looked around finding herself in the dusty banks of Lake Nostros. She couldn't fight the confusion she felt, until her eyes rested on her daughter.

Regina was standing on the edge of the lake, manipulating the water with her magic. Cora stood and saw her daughter straighten but not turn to her, her focus still on the water.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Regina asked, as she twisted her wrist, swirling the waters from the lake, turning them into a cyclone of vibrant colours before calming them into a single drop hovering over the lake. She made the drop to rise higher, turning shades of blue to black to red to purple, before dropping her hand making the water shatter into tiny drops, falling inches above the ground, freezing them.

"What are you doing?" Cora asked, but did not move a step.

"Can you feel it Mother?" Regina asked as she turned her fingers into a fist, bringing the drops back into a large drop. "Can you feel the power of the lake now? Pure dark magic made out of good magic."

Cora nodded, stepping closer to the waters, "It's beautiful."

Regina swiftly flicked her wrist, bringing the drop close to her mother, "Rumplestiltskin had cast a spell on the portal, which would have killed us had we gone through. I extracted the spell and closed the portal after Em-" She closed her eyes at the memory before turning to the lake, "And I placed it on the lake so if the water touches anything, it will destroy it… isn't it wonderful, how something so beautiful can be so destructive?"

"Like you?" Cora countered.

Regina smiled and flicked her wrist once more, causing the drop to splash into the waters, "The portal is gone. Storybrooke is gone… it's this land now."

"We can find another way-"

"To what?"

"To get you to your land, to your son," Cora said gently, seeing sadness flicker in her daughter's eyes at the mention of the boy. "Don't you want that? To be with your son again."

"Of course, I do," Regina whispered. "But we can't always have we want…"

"With power, we can have everything we want," Cora argued, raising her hand over the waters, urging the ripples to rise but failed. Cora frowned as she tried to use your magic.

"Weren't you listening, Mother?" Regina smirked as she watched her mother struggle. "If the waters touch anything, it destroys it…"

"What did you do?" Cora shouted as she grabbed her daughter's arm, squeezing it as she turned her to face her. "What did you do?"

"I destroyed your magic," Regina whispered, ignoring the pain in her arm from her mother's strong grip. "While you lay unconscious… I took your magic and destroyed it."

"How?" Cora tightened her grip, rage filling her body. "How?"

"A queen of hearts that has no heart of her own… ironic. I found it careless that a woman so protective of her heart, so much so that she would rip it out and store it, that she'd be so carefree with her magic."

Cora released her daughter and clutched her fist in front of chest, and Regina nodded, "You filled that hole in your chest with your magic and I simply reached in and took it. And used the lake to destroy it…"

"Why would you do that?"

"Because you've said it before Mother, I can't kill you…" Regina sighed. "And this was the only way to stop you from hurting them."

"Did you plan all of this?" Cora asked, admiration in her voice.

"Did I plan for Emma to knock you unconscious? Or did I plan for Rumple to curse the portal?" Regina stepped close to her mother. "No."

"Then how did this happen?"

"Because she loves me," Regina's voice cracked, remembering how Emma stood before her mother, protecting her, blasting Cora unconscious with true and pure magic.

She then remembered making the decision to protect Emma and her son from the dark magic that she and her mother possesses; making the decision to use Gold's spell to finally stop her mother. "And I love her."

Cora pushed her hand at her daughter's chest, her palm pressing onto the scarred skin, screaming in rage as she tried to take her daughter's heart, only failing.

"You will regret this," Cora warned and Regina smirked as she bound her with invisible binds.

"No, Mother, it's one of the few things I actually won't regret doing."

Regina wiped away a tear falling from her own eyes, "With great magic comes an even greater price. I sacrificed my happy ending to destroy yours mother."

Regina clicked her fingers and transported herself to the narrow paths of the woods, and smiled widely as she was nuzzled in the shoulder by the waiting chestnut mare.

"Hey," The brunette stroked the animal's nose before combing her nails through the course fur down the neck, healing the injuries the horse gained days earlier.

The horse whinnied as she healed before rearing slightly. Her new mistress calmed her with a soothing hum before stroking her neck, "She's gone, but she's safe."

The horse nodded her head and turned slightly, preparing for the brunette to mount her bare back. Regina grinned as she pulled herself up, adjusting to the animal without a saddle in place, and whispered into the animal's ear, "Take me away."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Emma pulled back from the tight embrace her mother was holding her in there, wiping at the drying tears on her face with dirty hands before looking into the kind face that was Snow's. She looked around, seeing that it was darker, but her small family were still with her.

"Emma," Snow whispered, wiping the dirty streaks from her daughter's cheek with soft thumbs. "Oh, how I've missed you?"

Emma nodded, not knowing what to say before looking over to where her father and son stood, watching her with relief in their eyes. She nodded again, still without words before glancing back at the well. Snow watched her with a frown before shaking her head, "She's not coming."

Emma swallowed before reaching the low wall to pull herself onto her feet, letting her mother help her, "Where's Gold?"

"Emma-"

The blonde cut her mother off as she leaned forward, ignoring the weakness that was coursing through her body, "He was here, where did he go?"

"I let him go," David stated as he stepped closer, reaching forward to support his daughter's weight. "He hadn't cursed the well so-"

"He did curse it," Emma stated as she stepped away from the well, leaning on her father as she regained her footing. David looked at her with a hint of surprise in his eyes. "Regina broke it."

"She did?" Henry piped up from behind them and Emma turned to him seeing surprise in his eyes. She simply nodded, before feeling the exhaustion wash over her again.

"Then where is she?" the boy asked looking back at the well.

"She stayed, kid." Emma whispered, not looking at her son, focusing on the path ahead to the pick-up truck. "She stayed."

"Why did she-"

"Henry," Snow's low voice interrupted. "Let your mother get some rest first… we can ask questions tomorrow, okay?"

Henry nodded before skipping forward, wrapping his arms around his blonde mother's waist, and Emma could do nothing but run her fingers through his brown hair and over his shoulder, holding him close as they walked to David's truck.

As soon as she was seated, her eyes closed and sleep consumed her. She woke when the car came to a halt and looked out, seeing a small crowd gather as David climbed out. She watched as he put his hands up, urging them to move back, to go home and tomorrow he would answer their question. He told them that his daughter, their saviour had returned safe and that the evil queen was no more. She closed her eyes as she heard joy in their chatter at this announcement and felt the tight squeeze of her son's hand on hers. She looked over at him and saw sadness in his eyes and she smiled weakly.

"I love you, kid."

Henry nodded and moved closer, wrapping his arms around her neck, mumbling that he loved her too.

As the crowd dispersed, David opened the door for Emma and Henry to get out, his wife already unlocking the door to the small apartment they lived in. She climbed the stairs of the apartment, barely able to keep her balance as David ran forward to hold her up.

"Run the bath, Henry," Snow ordered as she ran to the other side of her daughter.

They helped her into the bathroom where she inhaled the steam of the hot bath. She shook her head, trying to protest while her mother pushed both males outside the room. She watched the brunette then turn the tap off, testing the water with a fingertip before kneeling in front of the blonde.

"Do you want me to stay?" she asked kindly. Emma looked up at her and shook her head.

"Emma, is she- I mean is Re- is she, you know-"

Emma cried and laughed at once and shook her head, "No."

Emma waited for her mother to leave the small bathroom before slowly pulling the clothes from her body, dropping them to the floor, piece by piece. She looked into the mirror over the sink and saw tangles in her curls, smudges across her face, and small grazes on her hands from the well, but it was the large bruise in the centre of her chest that was new, just over her heart. She touched it gingerly, feeling nothing but the slight pulse that was her heartbeat. She then studied the dolphin key ring that she wore on the chain and pulled it off. She looked at it, turning it between her fingers before dropping it on the pile of clothing left on the floor. She climbed into the bath, and let her body sink underneath the hot water, drowning her slowly until she resurfaced for air. She put her hand over her heart, pressing down on it and cried.

The water was cold when Snow knocked on the door, and Emma ducked her head beneath the water, washing her face clean of tears before calling out, saying she will be only a moment. She climbed out of the bath, drying herself quickly and wrapping the towel around herself. She stepped out and saw her family waiting for her, plates of food before them and she shook her head.

"I know that you all want to play happy families right now, but I just want to sleep," Emma bit out before climbing the stairs. She was relieved when they chose to listen and leave her be. She closed the bedroom door, and saw that the bed had been freshly made and a clean t-shirt lay upon it.

"So this is what mothers do," she mumbled as she let the towel fall and pulled the shirt on and fell on to the bed. The last image that went through her mind when sleep captured her was that of Regina; Regina pushing her into that portal.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Normal**

When Emma awoke, she found that she was alone. She stretched her muscles, twisting the sleeping aches out of them before climbing out of the bed and looking out the window and found Storybrooke was already awake. Her green eyes scanned the familiar storefronts, the diner, the florist, the greengrocer, the hardware store, the city hall… and then she remembered everything.

"Was it real?" she asked herself when she heard the bedroom door open.

"You're awake," Henry called out, joy filling his voice.

She turned to her son whose smile lit up his face, "Not a dream then."

Henry frowned slightly, before moving to let Snow in.

"You're awake," Snow echoed her grandson and Emma rolled her eyes.

"How long was I asleep?"

"Two days," Henry announced. "We've tried waking you by talking really loudly and slamming doors and stuff like that."

Emma looked over at her mother who just nodded, "You obviously needed your sleep."

"Obviously," Emma mumbled before suddenly feeling awkward. "I think I'm going to get dressed and then check out the office…"

"Your father has been there. He took over sheriff's duties while you were gone."

"Well, I'm back now so he doesn't need to anymore," Emma pulled out a pair of jeans and a black tank top from the closet before looking at her son. "Kid, you may want to give me some privacy… going to get naked now."

Henry grimaced before walking out of the room while Snow simply turned around as Emma pulled off her t-shirt.

"Emma, don't you think that you should rest for a few days, before throwing yourself back into-"

"Nope," Emma stated as she fastened her bra and pulled on the black tank.

"You've had a traumatic experience…"

"And now I'm back and rested," Emma pulled on her jeans, hopping on one leg as she pulled on a sock.

"Emma-"

"Mary Margaret!" Emma snapped, silencing the woman who turned to her. She sighed, "Please. I am fine. I am back and I am fine. I just want to forget everything that happened and get back to normal. And right now, that is getting some real food and going back to work… so please just let me do that."

Snow lifted her hands in a gesture of peace and watched as her daughter walked past her, quickly followed by Henry.

"Emma, great to see you out and about," Ruby announced as she and Henry stepped inside the diner.

"Thanks Rubes," Emma smiled before sliding into the booth, taking a deep breath.

"So how is the old land?" Ruby asked as she pulled out the notepad from her apron.

"Full of ogres," Emma deadpanned.

"Ogres?" Ruby and Henry asked at the same time, the former's voice of concern, and the latter of excitement.

"Yeah, wasn't exactly Disney land…." Emma chuckled at her own pun, ignoring the brunette's frown. "So how about pancakes?"

"And a hot chocolate?" Ruby ventured, studying the blonde carefully.

"Perfect," Emma grinned. She looked out the window and watched aimlessly as Henry ordered.

"What was it like?"

Emma looked over at her son who was watching her with eager curiosity. Her eyes dropped to the small talisman he wore around his neck on a black cord. She lifted her chin, nodding at the item, "What's that kid?"

Henry looked down and picked it up, "Mr Gold gave it to me. For the nightmares…"

"You still get them?"

Henry shrugged, "Sometimes, but they don't hurt so much now because of this and David… he helps me like he did when Snow had them."

"I'm sorry kid…"

"It's not your fault," Henry mumbled. "It's her fault."

Emma looked into the blue eyes, seeing sadness not anger in them and sighed, "Kid, she is really sorry about them-"

"What was it like?" Henry cut her off. "You know? The other world…"

Emma smiled slightly, "Of all your questions, Kid, that's the one you're going to ask."

"One hot chocolate and one chocolate milkshake," Ruby announced as she placed the beverages on the table. "What question?"

"I just want to know what the fairy tale world is like," Henry told the waitress.

"No electricity or cars," Ruby provided.

"Here, Ruby can tell you all about, can't you?" Emma stated as she stood up, pulling out a wad of dollar notes out of her front pocket and throwing them on the table. "You don't mind, do you Rubes? I just need to go to the Sheriff's office."

She ignored the protests from both the waitress and her son as she pushed open the door, leaving them in her wake.

She stepped inside the sheriff station and saw her father talking on the telephone. He looked up at her and smiled kindly, rushing his conversation to a rapid end.

"Emma?" he asked, as he stood up from behind the desk and approached her.

She waved shyly, "Quiet in here."

"For once…" David said as he watched his daughter perch onto the edge of a desk. "Since magic has come back, it's been slightly crazy here."

"I can imagine," Emma looked around and saw empty cells and scattered paperwork. "But I'm back now so you can-"

"I'd like to stay and help," David interrupted. "I know you don't want me to and that you're still trying to wrap your head around me and your Mom and Henry and the other land and magic and all that stuff, but I think we can help each other. I know magic and you know sheriff stuff… and I am really good with a sword."

Emma smirked at that last comment, "Any good with a gun?"

David laughed slightly and shook his head, "You could teach me."

Emma walked to the window and saw Leroy and the other dwarves talking to the drugstore owner, "What's going on over there?"

"The dwarves have been trying to find a way to get Tom's memory back," David saw Emma's confusion. "When you step over the town's line, you lose your memory."

"Everyone?"

"Gold is working on it."

"Of course, he is…" Emma mumbled. "I should speak to him…"

"Now?" David asked. "He told me that the portal can't be re-opened it. It closed after you came through, and there isn't a single drop of magic or power left in that well. You used it coming back. We're safe now. You're safe now."

Emma felt tears sting her eyes as she turned her head to look out the window, "I guess I am."

"Emma?"

She turned back to her father, "I'm fine… it's just been one hell of a ride."

"I imagine that it must have been," David smiled. "Not quite the same as this world."

"I don't even think it's the same as your world either," Emma stated. "The curse destroyed it too."

She saw anger and sadness flash in her father's eyes and she reached over, touching his arm slightly before stepping behind her desk. She looked up at him, "You miss it, don't you?"

David chuckled lightly and nodded, "I understand the appeal of hot water on demand, and electricity and central heating as much as the next guy… but I like swinging a sword around and I like riding a horse."

Emma smiled as her father went to answer the ringing telephone, her thoughts on the chestnut mare she had left behind, in the deep forest.

The afternoon moved slowly as Emma sat at her desk, staring through the slats of the blinds, ignoring the ringing phone and the visits from several townspeople. It was only when Snow and Henry turned up, planting a bag of bear claws in front of her that she looked away. She smiled widely as she pulled a pastry out, eating it before licking the sugar of her lips.

"I missed this," she murmured as she chewed. "Sugar."

"What did you eat then?" Henry asked, his eyes sparkling.

"Snakes and spiders," Emma deadpanned before chuckling at the disgust on her son's face. "Whatever we caught, we ate."

Henry leant his chin on the desk, watching his mother eat the sugary pastry, his brow furrowed.

"Did you kill any ogres?"

Emma shook her head, grabbing the polystyrene cup of coffee.

"What else was there?" Henry asked. "Did you see a unicorn?"

Emma shook her head again, drinking the coffee with a grimace at its tepidness.

"What did you do there? Did you fight anyone? Did you learn to fight with a sword? David is teaching me… what about using the bow and arrow? Snow is really good at that… I shot the target with the arrow."

She closed her eyes, her son's tale of archery fading as she remembered the arrow going through Regina's hand. She could feel the tear at her heart as she slammed her fist down on the wooden desk, making him jump.

"Kid!" Emma snapped. "I don't want to talk about this stuff… I just want a normal life with normal things and normal people. Not fairy tales, and curses and magic and evil que- I just want normal, okay?"

She saw her son's eyes tear up as his bottom lip quivered and she sighed as she stood up, her chair scraping against the wood of the ground. She saw her parents staring at her in surprise and she took a breath, "I'm going to go for a drive."

"Emma?" Snow followed the blonde as she threw on a jacket and grabbed the keys to the patrol car. "Emma wait!"

Emma ignored the pleas from her parents as she pulled open the door to the car and climbs in. She starts the engine and a slight smirk plays on her face as she remembered the freedom that comes with the car. She pulled out without offering so much as a glance at her family who stood watching her.

She drove through the small town, recognizing the small stores, the twee houses and the local businesses, before squealing to a halt before the pawnshop. She climbed out of the car and looked at the storefront, taking a breath before stepping inside.

The bell almost rattled off its hook with the force she used to push the door open. Gold stood behind his counter, a knowing smirk on his face.

"I've been expecting you," he stated, a lilt in his tone. "In fact, expected to see you a lot earlier than this."

Emma looked around the shop, seeing the various items the man had hoarded from both lands, "Where's your girlfriend?"

"Belle? She's not too sure that she wants that title," he said, a tint of sadness in his eyes before darkness flashed through them. "Where's yours?"

"You rotten bastard!" Emma screamed as she charged towards him, shoving ornaments and trinkets aside as she wrapped her fingers around his throat. "You fuckin-"

"Well, that confirmed that then," Gold giggled as he pried her fingers loose with an exaggerated effort and stepped away from her. "Though not surprising…"

"How did you know?"

Gold shrugged, "There are some things that I just know…"

"Did you know that she wouldn't come back?"

Gold tilted his head slightly, a smile playing on his lips and tapped his cane on the floor, "That I did not know… and do you know why?"

"Her sociopathic psychotic excuse for a mother…"

"Oh Cora, how is she?" Gold jested as he bent down to pick up a fallen item. "Isn't she just something?"

"Yeah, she's something alright," Emma mumbled. "Why did you curse the portal?"

"Yes, how did you stop that?" Gold asked, stopping in front of her.

"Regina did."

Gold nodded, impressed, "I've taught her well."

Emma laughed bitterly, "You sure did. You should be proud…"

"Oh, I am," Gold smiled. "Now, I am sure you have a reason for barging into my shop."

"I want to kill you."

"Miss Swan," Gold warned.

"I won't though," Emma's voice was low as she moved closer to him. "She was going to come back, and then your damned curse stopped her… made her choose to stay. If you hadn't done that, she'd be here, safe… but she's not. So I just want you to know that I want to kill you."

Gold smirked and lifted his chin defiantly, "You won't kill me."

"No, I won't," Emma sighed. "Because I'm the good guy."

She walked away from him before turning around, "Can you get me back there?"

"I can't get you there," he said, seeing her studying him. She sighed and released her grip on his jacket.

"So she's stuck there," Emma mumbled as she shook her head.

"It appears to be that way," Gold stated. "Maybe it is for the best…"

"You-"

Gold held up a hand to stop her, "Sheriff, she caused a lot of grief to people here and many of them will happily have her head. Maybe she is safe where she is…"

"Because of you," Emma accused with a glare in her eyes.

Gold shrugged, "She hurt the woman I love-"

"Not the wraith!" Emma snapped. "Not just the wraith-"

Gold laughed uncomfortably, "Sheriff-"

"She wouldn't come back," Emma cut him off, her words almost silent but he heard her. She looked at him, her eyes glistening in the low light.

Gold softened his expression, "Maybe she didn't want to…"

"Yeah," Emma mumbled as she went to the door. "But I don't think that's the reason. And neither do you."

She stepped into the street, seeing the day beginning to fade into evening. She climbed into her car and drove around, ignoring signs and traffic lights, ignoring beeping horns and the crackling radio, as she desperately tried to clear her head of that last image of Regina: Regina pushing her into the portal, abandoning her.

She pulled to a halt at the signpost informing her that she was leaving Storybrooke. She climbed out of the car, ignoring the darkening clouds and the whistling wind. She stepped up to the orange spray painted line and stared down at it, watching as a single drop of rain splashed against it, followed quickly by another and another until she could see nothing but heavy raindrops. She took a step forward before shaking her head, cursing beneath her breath.

"Emma?"

She turned to the gentle tone that was her mother's, "How did you know I'd be here?"

"You said that you wanted normal."

Emma smiled slightly before shrugging, "It didn't work… I still remember everything."

"You were never a part of the curse," Snow explained. She stepped closer to the line, thinking carefully before she spoke again, "When your father and I first met, the odds were very much against us. His father, King George told me that he would kill Charming if I didn't tell him that I didn't love him. It destroyed me, breaking his heart so I took a forgetting spell… and it made me angry with the world. It changed me and not for the best."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I'm sorry," Snow whispered as she moved, the toes of her shoes pressing the edge of the line. "I'm sorry about Regina."

Emma gasped as she heard her mother utter her lover's name. She looked into soft blue eyes, "How did you know?"

"Because I chose to take a forgetting spell to forget the pain of loving someone I couldn't have, and you chose to do the same thing…"

"She stayed," Emma whispered. "We were at the portal, and she pushed me in."

"Maybe she was afraid," Snow ventured.

"No," Emma could remember the brunette's face as she fell into the portal. "Yeah, she was, but that wasn't it… She stayed because of Gold's spell."

"We tried to stop him."

"I know… but it made her doubt herself," Emma stepped closer. "But she-she- she would have been okay. I would have protected her."

"I think she was protecting you," Snow raised her hand to push her daughter's drenched hair from her face.

"I would have protected her," Emma sobbed as Snow pulled her into a hug.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Again thank you to all those who are following and to those who have favourited after 2 chapters, and to those who review, a huge thank you. I love getting them, I love hearing what people have to say about the story, and I hope that you continue to enjoy.**

**Chapter Three: A Deal**

Regina shouldn't have been surprised when the mare pulled to a halt in the green meadow that surrounded the cottage that was once the huntsman's, but she was. She smiled weakly as she patted the horse on the side and climbed off her, pulling the horse along behind her. She pushed open the door and was greeted with familiar scents of musk, lavender, ashes and Emma. She gasped as she inhaled the scent again, kneeling on the stoop as tears fell.

She turned back to see the horse grazing, quite content with stopping here and she looked back inside. She wiped the tears away, feeling slightly foolish for weeping over the impossible. She pulled herself back up on her feet and stepped inside. The cottage dimly lit in the evening sun showed not a single souvenir of the blonde yet everywhere she looked she was reminded of her.

"Guess this is my punishment," Regina mumbled as she untied her cape, letting it fall to the ground. She looked back at the mare who was watching her carefully from the field and she shook her head slightly. "Just for tonight."

She pushed the door shut, stripping herself of the evil queen's uniform, kicking them free from her as she filled the tub with a wave of her hand. She climbed in, sinking beneath the warm, clear water, letting it reach her shoulders as she leant her head against the hard side. Her sobs were silent as she replayed that last moment with Emma over and over in her mind, her palm flat against her rapid beating heart. She pushed it under the skin, wrapping her slim fingers around the delicate organ and pulled it free with a loud cry. She looked at in with teary eyes, lifting it from beneath the water and studied it, seeing the shadows of dark beneath the glowing red. She squeezed it causing her to cry before holding it gently.

"Would be so easy," she murmured as she felt nothing, but the pulse of her heart in her hand. She pushed it back into her chest with a sob.

Regina woke with a start, the nightmare ending abruptly. She gasped as she sat up, her hand at her chest trying to calm her beating heart, her fingertips stroking the tip of the jagged scar that lay there. She blinked as the sun beamed through the window, onto the crisp white sheets of the bed. The third morning she awoke in this cottage found her waking without screaming the name of the blonde woman, and she thought maybe this was a sign that things could become better. She had meant to stay just one night, but realising that there was nothing else but this cottage she found no reason to leave.

She heard the horse before she saw her, and couldn't help but smile widely as the animal pushed the bedroom window open. She climbed out of the bed and padded to the window, stroking the animal's nose as she looked further, seeing nothing but blue and green. She could do this, she could spend her years in the peace that this small patch of land in the Enchanted Forest provides.

She allowed herself the daydream of what might have been before reminding herself of her mother's words, a bare promise: 'We can find another way.'

She leant forward, hugging the neck of the large animal and she whispered into her ear, "Can we find a way?"

The horse whinnied as she turned to ready herself for the next adventure in her life. She made quick work of bathing and dressing, finding comfort in loose black slacks and a long slim fitted white tunic. She sat on the stoop, lacing her boots as she watched the mare circle the field impatiently. The sun was warm against her skin, and she lifted her face to it, closing her dark eyes.

"I never thought you to be the kind of person to just give up."

Regina glowered as she looked up at the man boasting a hook as a hand, baring teeth as she hissed, "What are you doing?"

"I mean you spent a lifetime on a path of vengeance but now you're playing house-"

Regina was on her feet, a strong hand wrapped around his throat gripping tightly, "What are you doing here?"

"I want Rumplestiltskin."

"I can't get you him," Regina released the grip on the pirate.

"Your mother is really angry with you."

The pirate stepped around the woman, ignoring the glint in her dark eyes as he stepped inside, forcing her to follow.

"You saw her?"

Hook chuckled as he poured himself a cup of wine, "I found her where you left her… she was babbling about magic and how she was going to kill you…"

"Is she alright?"

Hook grinned before licking his lips, "And you still care about her?"

Regina lifted her hand, squeezing her finger and thumb together, slowly making his body crush with the force of magic, "Is she alive?"

"Yes!" The pirate gasped. "I didn't kill her…"

Regina released him once more and sat on the bench at the table, "How did you find me?"

"Magic?" Hook grinned when the queen rolled her eyes. "I've been alive for more than 300 years, Your Majesty and I've travelled to many lands. I know every inch of this land, and this cottage… I can understand the appeal."

Regina looked around and arched an eyebrow, "Many lands?"

"Not your Storybrooke," Hook offered. "And that is the one I want… we can find another way to get there."

Regina laughed breathlessly as she stood up, hearing that promise again, "Who said I want to go back?"

Hook arched an eyebrow, "Love."

Regina's eyes filled and she looked away.

Hook turned and helped himself to the contents of the small larder, biting of a large piece of bread as he poured another cup of wine and sat on the bench watching the former queen.

"You know, your mother is going to come after you?" he announced, crumbs spitting from his lips.

Regina glared at him, "Eat with your mouth closed."

"I want you to bring me to your Storybrooke," Hook said after washing down the bread with his wine.

"I don't even know how to do that," Regina sighed as she sat down opposite him.

"But that little brain of yours will figure out a way," Hook offered, a teasing smirk on his face and ignored the glare from the brunette. "Or these may do the trick."

He stood up and pulled the pouch tied to his belt free and dangled it before the woman who grabbed it from his hand.

"Must you always be so infantile," she barked as she empty the pouch into the palm of her hand. She looked at the small, shrivelled, black beans and looked up at him with an arched eyebrow, "Are these what I think they are?"

"If you are thinking a giant's magic beans, you'd be correct."

"You killed the giant?" Regina chuckled with disbelief.

"I can kill a giant," the captain snarled. "But I didn't… we had a nice chat. I told him why I wanted to catch my crocodile and he told me how he had been betrayed by humans. Actually, he was a nice fellow and we had-"

Regina waved her hand cutting him off, "Just get to the point."

"Anyway, you killed Lake Nostros with your deadly magic and I need another plan…"

"These open portals to any world, don't they?" She asked, not really caring for the answer as she ran her fingers over the tiny beans before looking up to him. "Lake Nostros is the only place I know of in this land that has the power to revive what is lost. To revive these."

"I know," Hook nodded pointedly, a smug grin on his face.

"So these are useless," she prepared to cast them aside only for wrist to be caught by the coldness of a hook. She looked at it, seeing the gleam of the sun on the steel. "Did he cut off your hand?"

"One of the things he did," Hook answered with a sadness in his face. "Have you ever met a man by the name of Midas?"

"I am going to cut off your other hand if you don't get to your point quickly," she barked out, pulling her wrist free from the hook.

"Just like your mother," he jested before stepping back from her glare. "His daughter's husband was saved by the lake's water and when he had heard how he had been saved he demanded to have some of this water in his possession."

He could see her interest piqued behind the mask of indifference she wore and continued, "Anyway, he sent an army to bring back the water. Legend is that only one man managed to touch the water before the lake dried up, and only a single bottle of it still lives at Midas' castle."

"He wasn't touched by the curse," she whispered.

"Because his kingdom isn't here," he explained. "But you have something of his that I am pretty certain you could bargain with."

Regina looked at him, realisation dawning on her quickly and a wicked grin fell onto her lips, "His daughter."

He nodded, "I believe that you know where she is."

"And why would I need you?" Regina sneered.

"Because I am really good company?" Hook jested before sighing and leaning forward. "Because I am a damn good sailor with a lovely ship. A ship that can go between the lands as you know."

Regina rolled her eyes and looked behind her at the mare grazing in the field and spots the young, white colt nearby, "Is that your horse, Captain Jones?"

Hook chuckled, "Can't you do that purple smoke thing you Evil Queens are so fond of?"

Regina smirked at him, "I like to ride."

Hook slapped his one hand against his thigh, "Right, to Midas' Kingdom?"

"No. To have a conversation with a mutual friend," Regina announced as she pulled on a black coat over her white tunic, its hem reaching her knees.

"Your mother?" Hook asked, evidently surprised.

Regina chuckles and shakes her head, "No, you idiot… the other mutual friend."

Hook raised an eyebrow as Regina closed the door of the cottage. The mare approached them without being called and she climbed up with ease. He looked up at her, "Why?"

"Because I need something from him."

"I thought we're going to visit-"

Regina glowered down at him, cutting him off with anger in her brown eyes and a snarl on her lips, "You have given me the beans. You have told me about Midas. I have very little use for you at the moment… so if I allow for you to accompany me then you will understand this. We do this my way."

Hook shrugged, "How do we talk to this mutual friend?"

Regina smirked, a sparkle in her brown eyes, "Magic of course."

"What's in there?" The pirate asked, as he pulled his horse to a halt, a steady hand on the black reins. Regina ignored him as she dismounted her chestnut mare. She stroked the animal's neck affectionately while she looked up at the castle overlooking the lake.

"I'll be back," Regina swore before transporting herself in a swirl of purple smoke to the small tower room of what was once her friend, Maleficent's home. She looked down and found it exactly where she had dropped it, the small hand mirror that she had once used. Its splinters scatted across the floor and she sighed, remembering the blonde's fury as she broke it with an angry stamp of the foot. She passed her hand over it, sliding the splinters together until the mirror was whole and without a single crack, and then she picked it up seeing her tired reflection looking back at her. She focused on the small mirror she had used before, the one that hung on the wall in the office of Archie's practise.

She sighed when she found it empty and tried the other mirrors she could think off, the ones that hung on the white walls of her mansion. She sighed as she found emptiness in each room, furniture adorned with a layer of dust, the untouched objects before dropping her gaze on the photo that adorned her bedside table, a picture of her son on his first day of school. This house had stood empty since she had come to this world. She allowed herself to find each mirror in her former home, gaze at each photo of that small boy she had left behind, feeling the tears reach her eyes as she remembered the story behind each photo. Her eyes settled onto the frame that stood on the shelf of the bookcase. It was one of the few photos that had her in it. She was holding Henry close in front of her, her arms around his chest as he laughed. She desperately wanted to hear that sound again.

It wasn't until she heard the annoying voice that was the pirates that she lowered the mirror and wiped away the flowing tears.

"Your Majesty!"

She sighed as she took a deep breath before pulling open the door and descending the stairs, mirror in hand. She found him in the large hallway, looking out the broken window at the lake. He turned and smiled at her, "Great view!"

"I told you to wait outside."

Hook laughed, "I have never done what I am told. Also, you people tend to leave me behind… a lot."

Regina looked beyond him, out at the calm lake, almost tempted to push him in, but instead tightened her grip on the mirror, "We will need to stay the night…"

"Because…"

"We need to stay the night," she reaffirmed before leaving the room. "And Captain, if you try to follow me, I'll reposition that hook to somewhere less pleasant."

She returned to small tower cell, locking the door behind her and sat on the small cot. She refocused her magic onto the mirror and found the mirror of Archie's office again. She waited patiently for some sign of life, sleep threatening her more than once only to be shaken of violently with a muttered curse.

"Regina?"

The small, unsure voice jolted her from her thoughts of Henry and Emma. She looked in the glass and saw the shrink straightening his glasses, fear in his eyes. She nodded at him.

"I need you to do me a favour," she ordered, seeing the flinch in his eyes.

Archie's fingers went to the frame of his glasses, adjusting them slightly as he looked around his office as if to find a weapon.

"I can't hurt you," Regina stated, seeing the man relax slightly. "I need you to bring a mirror to Gold."

"Why would I help you?" Archie asked, swallowing the stammer in his voice.

Regina smiled gently, "I need to help Henry. Gold is-"

"He is fine," Archie stepped closer to the mirror, his voice soft as he spoke. "Henry… he is fine."

Regina nodded, "And…"

The shrink smiled gently, hearing the hitch in her voice, "She's fine too."

Regina looked away from the mirror, the image glimmering slightly as her focus went to the younger woman before she shook her head slightly and brought the office back, "Just bring Gold a mirror… I will be returning in fifteen minutes which grants you more than enough time to do this task."

"Regina?" Archie called and she waited, her lips pursed. He hesitated before shaking his head, changing his mind about saying what he wanted to. He looked into the brown eyes, dimmed by the glass and sighed, "I'll bring him the mirror."

She lowered the mirror, gasping for breath as she fought the sob away. She left the hand mirror on the bed as she stood up and went to the small, narrow window and looked down onto the lake. She watched the ripples of the smooth lake turn green and blue as the sunlight bounced of them. She watched the light breeze make waves at the edges of the water, taking leaves into their small surfs. She watched the small islands of white cloud drift aimlessly in the light blue sky. She remembered the blonde's words about this world and agreed, it really could be beautiful. She lifted the mirror again, focusing on Gold, his smirk, his sly eyes, his impish giggle, and his dark magic.

"Regina," he smirked into the reflection. "It is just Regina now, isn't it? Unless you're queen again…"

"I want to make a deal."

"I see you have no time to spend on pleasantries."

"Are you interested or not?

"I'm not… you have nothing that I could possibly I want," He sneered.

"Not even your son," she watched his reaction, gauging the surprise in his eyes.

"Where is he?" His voice echoed through the small room and she flinched slightly.

"Are you interested in making the deal or not?" She asked, her voice low and calm.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: Adjusting**

Emma sat in the armchair gazing out the window, her fingers wrapped around a mug of coffee, her eyes gazing at the night sky, her body warm from the blanket Snow had wrapped around her hours earlier. She could hear nothing but the murmurs from Henry as he slept fitfully on the sofa bed, and with each murmur her eyes would fall on him, seeing strands of brown hair sticking to his forehead. She had went to wake him earlier but David had reassured her, telling her that her little boy was getting better at controlling and fighting the nightmare world that is the Netherworld. Yet, her heart broke as she saw the slight struggle he still had and she couldn't help but feel angry with the woman she loved for doing this to him.

Storybrooke slept; her parents slept; her son slept but she couldn't. She wanted to, but every time she closed her eyes, she saw the brunette pushing her into the portal, abandoning her.

She woke with a start, a sheet of sweat sticking to her skin, her tank clinging to her torso. She pulled her knees up and leant her forehead against them, evening her breathing. She looked up and saw that the sun was shining, the rain of the previous night forgotten. She cricked her neck and stretched her spine as she heard the low voices from the kitchen behind her. She stood up, the blanket still wrapped around her, her curls wild around her pale face and saw the smile on her mother's face. She nodded as she moved to the island and sat on the stool next to Henry who continued to eat his cereal, ignoring her.

She nudged him gently, "I didn't mean to shout at you yesterday."

"I know," Henry mumbled as he shovelled a spoonful of cereal into his mouth.

"Forgive me," Emma asked, as she lifted the glass of orange juice to her mouth.

Henry nodded and looked at his mother, "Want some cereal?"

Emma laughed and poured herself a bowl and looked up at her mother who was smiling. "So Henry has school today and, I don't know, if you want him to go or-"

"Oh," Emma said, ignoring the groan and rolling eyes from the boy. "He's going to school."

"But Mom…"

Emma flinched at the word and closed her eyes for a second before looking at the boy, "Kid, school is important… reading and writing and counting. That's important."

"But I wanted to show you the stables," Henry argued, a pout falling on his lip. "And I already know how to read and write and count-"

"Kid, this isn't up for debate," Emma chided. "You're going to school."

Henry slumped of the barstool and went to get ready while Emma continued to eat her cereal. She could feel her mother's eyes on her and looked up, "What?"

"Nothing… I also should get ready for school then."

Emma continued to eat her breakfast, hearing the two move around, grabbing coats, lacing up shoes and picking up bags. It wasn't until she heard the front door open that she relented, "Henry, after school, you can show me the stables, if you like."

Henry smile was wide as he nodded enthusiastically, and Emma laughed and waved them off. She exhaled as the door closed, dropping the spoon into the bowl, grimacing at the soggy cereal. She jumped off the bar stool, abandoning the bowl as she looked around, sighing loudly.

She stepped inside the sheriff office and found David in deep conversation with Red who smiled widely when she saw her, "Emma."

"Hey," the blonde waved slightly, a small Band-Aid on her finger. "What you two talking about?"

"Want some coffee?" David offered as he walked to the small machine and flipped the switch.

Emma studied the two carefully, a curious look playing on her features as she arched an eyebrow, seeing Ruby play with the hem of shirt nervously and listening to David rinse out some mugs.

"Seriously, what is going on?" Emma asked again.

"This machine always sounds like it's ready to blow up," David said as the coffee maker ground out hot liquid loudly.

"I should get back… Granny will be read-"

"Oh My God!" Emma exclaimed. "Are you two sleeping with each other? I can't believe you'd do that to Mary Margaret. Actually, I can."

"Emma- it's not like that-"

"I mean you cheated on your wife with Mary Marg-"

"That was the curse!"

"And what's your excuse now?" Emma shouted before turning onto the shocked brunette. "And you! You're supposed to be Mary Margaret's friend! And you're sleeping with her husband! And I thought you were supposed to be all about true-"

"I am a werewolf!" Ruby yelled, successfully halting the blonde into silence.

"I'm a werewolf," Ruby said again, gently this time as Emma sat down.

Emma raised an eyebrow at the young waitress, "A werewolf?"

Ruby could only nod and Emma chuckled slightly, "I'll be damned… Little Red Riding Hood is a werewolf. Someone should really re-write these stories."

"They did," Ruby stated. "Henry's book."

"Oh yeah."

"Which you obviously never read."

"Between the kid banging on about curses and Regina being such a bitch and Kathryn's non-murder, I barely had time to curl up with a book," Emma moaned.

"Anyway, we're nearing the full moon… after last time, I just wanted to make sure we're prepared."

"Last time?" Emma looked up and saw her father handing her a mug of coffee.

"My father framed her for murder," David offered gently.

"Your father? King George?"

David nodded, "He's not really my father… there was a deal made with-"

"Am going to take a stab in the dark and say you made a deal with Gold?"

David sighed as he nodded, "But we have dealt with that and Ruby, he's not going to get you this time."

"What did he do last time?" Emma asked, leaning forward slightly as she watched a flash of sadness dance in Ruby's grey eyes.

"He killed Billy," Ruby spoke softly, a slight quiver in her voice. "And made it look like a wolf attack… and I've killed people before. I mean, as a wolf. I killed the man I loved."

"Shit," Emma murmured at the confession. "What happened?"

"I ate him," Ruby said with pained confusion.

"You ate David's fake dad?" Emma turned to her father, concern etched in her brow.

"No!" Ruby exclaimed. "We pushed him over the line."

"Are you serious?" Emma stood up and walked to the small cells, her fingertips tracing the bars. "The man killed someone and you pushed him over the line!"

"It took his memories," David explained. "He doesn't remember his fairy-"

"This is ridiculous," Emma mumbled. "This is how we punish people now… no trials or prisons, just shove them over the line."

"This world cannot deal with crimes like ours," David argued.

"Do you do that in your world too? Take peoples' memories?"

"No. We-we would…" David tailed off.

"I thought so," Emma pursed her lips together tightly before turning to the brunette. "What do we do to keep you and us safe then?"

"I can control the wolf," Ruby stated.

"We've made preparations," David offered, and Emma nodded as she turned back to the cell, a flash of a memory before her; a frightened queen trying not to appear so locked in this cell. She could hear her father talk about chains and watchers and other things, but her mind distracted her with memories.

"Oh good, you're here," a new voice joined the room and Emma turned around, seeing Archie looking bewildered. "I wasn't going to come and she told me not to, but I was worried and…"

"What's wrong Archie?" David asked as Ruby pulled out a chair for the shrink to sit in, which he did, adjusting his frames nervously.

"Regina-"

"What about her?" Emma interrupted, her voice high as she stalked closer to the doctor.

"She came to me last night…"

"She's here," Ruby whispered.

Archie shook his head, "In the mirror-"

"And you're telling us now!" Emma shouted and felt David's hand on her arm, pulling her back.

"She told me not to tell anyone," Archie stammered, as he saw anger in the blonde woman's face. "She wanted to speak to Mr Gold…"

"And you didn't think to get me?" Emma pulled her arm free from David's grip, her face inches from the shrink's own. "You know what he's like! God knows what he has done! You stupid-"

"Emma!" David asked, pulling his daughter back again. Emma looked at the man holding both her arms and inhaled deeply before nodding. He released her and looked at his old friend, "Why did she want to speak to Gold?"

"I don't know," Archie shook his head. "She just told me to bring a mirror to him…"

"And you did?" Emma spat out, seeing the shrink flinch.

"This can't be good," Ruby mumbled. "Both of them together is never good…"

"Get Snow," David told the young waitress. "She'll need to hear this."

Ruby ran out of the office without looking back, while Emma sank down in a chair opposite the shrink. She looked up at him, "Is she-"

Archie nodded, a small smile on his face and Emma hesitated before asking another question, "Did she ask for me?"

Archie paused, his eyes darting to David before back at the blonde woman, "No, she didn't..."

Emma stood up, pushing past her father, fighting back the tears threatening to fall.

"But she was relieved when I told her that you were fine…"

Emma turned back to the shrink and smiled weakly, "Okay"

She continued walking out of the office, hearing her father call out after her, "Where are you going?"

"To see Gold!" She yelled as she pushed open the outside doors.

The pawn shop was empty, its door locked but it didn't stop her rattling the door, banging her closed fists against it loudly. She stood back and snarled as she pushed her fist through the glass, feeling it shatter before feeling for the handle and opening it. She looked around, shouting out the man's name as she walked into his back shop, tearing the beaded curtains apart.

"He isn't here," an accented voice called through the room.

She turned, recognising the young woman as Gold's girlfriend and moved closer to her, "Belle, right?"

Belle nodded, "He left this morning…"

"Where did he go?"

"I don't know," Belle's voice was sad and Emma studied her soft features, seeing no lie. "He wouldn't tell me, but he got in his car and told me that he would be back, that finally, things are falling into place."

Emma sighed as she leaned against the counter, the adrenaline leaving her body quickly as she studied the woman opposite her.

"You know who he is, don't you?" she asked.

Belle nodded.

"And you know what he does?"

Belle nodded again, "I do"

The door creaked, breaking the silence that had blanketed the dimly lit shop and both women looked at it, the sun beaming through the broken glass, bouncing off the shards on the ground. Emma held her hand up, shielding her eyes from the brilliant light from the rays before being forced to look away to the back office. She saw the gleaming of the sunlight on frame behind the beaded curtains and she walked towards it. She pushed apart the beads and saw the mirror, and touched it lightly, her reflection staring up at her. She turned at the footsteps behind her, "Will you tell me when he gets back please?"

Belle considered the blonde for a moment, seeing pain in the green eyes and exhaled, "What did he do to you?"

"Will you tell me when he gets back?"

Belle hesitated before nodding, "There is good inside him."

"If you say so," Emma bit out. "He was happy to let my son die. Did you know that?"

Belle shook her head, tears shining in her eyes, "But your son lived."

Emma laughed without feeling, "Yeah, he did… he created the curse that trapped you."

"I know," Belle admitted. "But he didn't imprison me in an asylum."

Emma looked away, her eyes glancing down at the mirror, "No, he didn't."

Emma studied her for a moment before sighing and walking out of the shop, broken glass crunching under her boots. She climbed into the car, the mirror still in her hand.

She shouldn't have been surprised when she pulled up at the mansion, nor should she have been surprised to see weeds overgrown onto the paving slabs, nor the broken glass in some of the windows, or words of warning scrawled across signs on the lawn or at the wooden planks nailed across the front door, but she was. She slipped around the side of the house, stepping into what was once an impressive back yard but now was neglected into a state of despair with a dying apple tree as its centrepiece. She walked to the dying tree, its fruit no longer boasting glorious colours of red, but shrivelled blackness, its branches wilting and its leaves falling. She touched the shorn edge of the branch that she had lopped off, and remembered sadly the ire and awe in the brunette's face at the time.

"How did we come to this?" she whispered as she swept her fingers along the blackening branches. She stayed in the garden for a while, lying on the overgrown lawn, watching the clouds shift aimlessly in the blue sky, letting her mind go back to the brunette. She heard the bell chime on the clock tower for the fourth time since she lay on the dawn and stood up. She shook the loose leaves of her jeans and frowned at the grass stains that were deep in the denim. She cursed under her breath before glancing up at the clock tower, "Shit... Henry."

"Mom!" Henry yelled out with joy as he saw the yellow bug waiting outside the school. He clambered in, his book bag thrown into the backseat with disregard. "Are we going to the stables?"

"I said we would," Emma smiled, her son's enthusiasm contagious.

She pulled up in front of the stables, calling out after her son as he jumped out before she had even turned off the engine. She stepped out, stretching as the familiar smell of horse filled her nostrils. She sighed as she remembered that trustworthy chestnut mare she had left behind, hoping that she was okay.

"Here he is," Henry announced as Emma rounded the corner into the stalls. She glanced at the black pony and petted his nose gently, nodding her approval of the small horse. "His name is Charming."

Emma laughed, "Charming?"

"Yeah… because it was David that gave him to me."

"Good name, kid," Emma mused as she watched the boy pat down his horse, before pulling out the brush. She looked around and saw a tanned colt with a white star on his forehead. She approached him slowly, her hand out to calm the animal who just whinnied. "You up for a ride?"

The horse moved slightly as she put the saddle on his back and shook his head slightly as she pulled herself up onto him. She waited for him to adjust, before kicking him slightly with her heel, trotting him out of the stall. She was curious for a moment, and leaned forward, whispering into the animal's ear, "Take me home."

The horse neighed slightly, his ear twitching and he moved side by side, ignoring her request completely. She sighed before seeing her son watching her, awe adorning his features.

"Mom! What you doing? David said that you need to be patient-"

"Charming," Emma called to the pony, moving her own horse close to the stall. "You ready to get out of here and ride?"

The pony looked at her blankly.

"He's ready," Emma announced before seeing doubt in the boy's face. She slid down onto the ground and kneeled before him. "Look kid, I was taught that if you trust your horse and your horse trusts you… then you're good to go. Do you trust him?"

Henry nodded.

"And he trusts you?"

Henry nodded again, a small smile on his face. She helped him on to the pony's back and took the reins for him, leading him out into the paddock, trying to remember Regina's lesson. The pony trotted at a gentle pace as if he could feel the nerves of his rider, only moving his pace as Henry became more confident.

Emma climbed onto her own horse, and trotted alongside the small pony, matching step for step. Emma led the horses into a canter, laughing at Henry's joy as they both relaxed into the trust of their horses. It was only when the sun threatened to leave them that the blonde called it a day. She returned her horse, brushing him down gently before going to get her son. She leaned against the frame as she watched the boy talk to the animal, brushing him down with one hand and patting him with the other.

"That was so cool," Henry announced when he saw her.

"Yeah, it is."

"Where did you learn to ride?"

"Your mom taught me," Emma smiled at the memory of the exasperated brunette in the green meadows.

"She did. Mo-Regi-The Evil Queen taught you."

Emma frowned at her son's stutter and saw tears well up in his eyes. She moved closer, her hands wrapping around his clenched fists as she knelt before him, "She's still your mom kid."

Henry shrugged as he pulled away from the blonde and went back to his pony, brushing him down again.

"Henry?" Emma asked but the boy ignored her. She sat down on the ground, leaning against the frame as she played with a strand of hay between her fingers. She studied the boy, his back straight, his shoulder pushed together, his left hand in a tight fist and his lips pursed together as tears filled his eyes.

"I love you kid."

She saw his shoulders relax and his hand continue moving the brush gently over the pony's coat.

"I love you too," he mumbled, and had she seen his face she would have seen his blush.

"And so does your mom."

"But-"

"There is not but," Emma cut him off. "She's your mom."

Henry continued grooming the animal, refusing to turn to the blonde as he swallowed his tears.

"I hate her," he mumbled.

"No, you don't," Emma said kindly. "You wouldn't have asked me to save her if you hated her."

Henry stopped brushing the animal, his brow furrowed as he tried to find an argument.

"You're pissed at her but you don't hate her. And that's okay. It's okay to be mad at her-"

"I don't want to talk about her anymore," Henry dropped the brush to the ground and tried to step over Emma's outstretched legs only for her to grab him. She saw tears in his eyes and it pained her as she wrapped her long fingers around his small wrists.

"Your Mo-"

"She is not my Mom. You are," Henry seethed, pulling out of Emma's hold.

"Henry!" Emma called out after him. She stood up, chasing him as he ran only to find him climbing into the passenger seat of the bug. She climbed into the driver's seat and looked over at him, seeing tears spill from his blue eyes. She felt tears spring to her own as she instinctively pulled the boy to her, her arm wrapped around his shoulder as she rocked him against her.

"Oh, kid… I'm so sorry."

"What happened at the stable?" Snow whispered as Emma watched Henry sleep in a fitful sleep, bravely fighting of his nightmares on the sofa bed.

The blonde looked up at her mother and glanced over at her father who was seated at the table, leafing through the fairy tale book again. She stepped to the table and sat down, gesturing for Snow to do the same.

"We're getting Regina back," Emma announced and smirked as her father coughed. "We're finding a way to open the portal and we're getting her back."

"Emma-"

"We can't," David announced, interrupting his wife. "I know that you think you love her-"

"You told him," Emma's eyes flashed to her mother, accusingly.

"Of course I did… he's your father."

Emma rolled her eyes and shrugged at the obvious hurt in both her parents' eyes, "Henry misses Regina."

"He told you this?"

Emma smiled weakly at the brunette, "Call it maternal instinct."

"She did raise him," Snow stated. "She is all he's known for ten years so it's going to take time for him to adjust to life without her."

"He's not adjusting-"

"He will," David said patiently, reaching forward to take his daughter's hand only for her to pull it away.

"Wow," Emma hissed. "I want to give my son his mom back."

"You're his-"

"Don't even think of finishing that sentence," the blonde barked at her father. "I am the woman that gave him up just like you did me… except he got lucky. He got the mother who would do anything to ensure that he is safe, healthy and loved. I got the fate of a town placed in my hands the day I was born. I got shoved into a wardrobe by my parents who cared more about saving everyone from the curse and not about what the hell would happen on the other side of the wardrobe."

"We wanted-"

"Did you think about what would happen on the other side of that wardrobe?" Emma interrupted.

Both David and Snow remained quiet before David spoke, "We knew you'd find us after 28 years. We knew that you would save us-"

"But you didn't think about those actual 28 years themselves," Emma accused, her voice calm. She took a breath, "The best thing that happened in those years was Henry. That would never have happened if you hadn't done what you had done… so I don't hate you for that."

"We're sorry," Snow whispered.

"I know… but what I want is for you to help me save Regina."

"Emma-" David interrupted again.

"I need her," Her voice was so quiet that her parents almost didn't hear her. They looked at each other, their eyes meeting and David sighed while Snow took a deep breath.

"Do you know what she has done? I mean all you have seen is Mayor Mills…" David asked

"Yes, she told me," Emma whispered as she recalled that night in Maleficent's castle where Regina admitted to many of her crimes.

"You can't trust her," Her father argued. "Your mother gave her a second chance, saved her from execution and she tried to kill her again…"

Emma frowned and shook her head, "She saved my life."

"She's been talking to Gold," David stated. "We don't know what they're planning, but last time they worked together, we were all cursed… we can't trust her!"

"David," Snow intervened, taking his hand between her own. "She loves her."

"This is Regina we're talking about," David turned to his wife. "The evil queen, the woman who tried to kill us, who poisoned you, who killed people we love, who tore us apart-"

"She took an arrow to the heart for me," Emma hissed, stunning her father into silence. "Look, I know that she has done so many bad things and maybe she should-"

"Mommy!"

The scream that filled the room shattered the tension between the three adults, especially when it happened again, shrill and terrifying.

"Mommy!"

Emma ran to the boy's side, waking him with a shake as he screamed over and over again, trembling violently.

"Mommy!"

"I'm here," Emma called as she pulled him into her embrace, rocking him as he called for Mommy over and over again. "I'm right here. Wake up."

Henry opened his eyes, looking around as tears fell easily, rolling down his cheeks as he leaned into the blonde, "She did it… she took them away."

"Henry?" Emma asked gently as he clung to her, steadying his breathing.

The little boy looked up at the blonde, "My mom… she said… she took them away."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five:**

Regina was nervous but she wouldn't admit it. She could hear the pirate making a racket in the large halls of the empty palace but chose to ignore them as she lay down on the small cot, the mirror falling to the floor as she crossed her hands on her chest, her fingertips feeling the rough skin at the top of her scar. She looked up at the ceiling above her, staring at the cracks of age in the old stone as sounds faded away. Her eyes drifted shut as sleep took her captive.

All she could see was blackness. She put her hands in front of her, trying to feel for something but nothing could be touched. She called out but silence still filled the air. She felt frightened for only a moment and then she felt at peace and almost allowed it to consume her, had it not been for that voice.

"Mom?"

She turned and flames filled the room. The sparks of red and orange danced along the walls, rained from above and towered from the ground, and in the middle of it all stood the little boy, her little boy.

"Henry?" she cried out as she pushed her hands out, willing her magic to cease the flames, yet she was empty. She pushed through the flames, snarling as they whipped at her smooth flesh, before reaching her son. She pulled him close, sheltering him from the angry flames that grew around them. She felt Henry clutch at her as she raised her hand shielding them from falling fire. She felt her skin burning and couldn't stop the scream leaving her mouth as she ducked her head, holding her son close to her body, her chin on his head, her eyes closed as she willed it to stop with whatever magic she could feel. She closed her eyes as she heard Emma's voice, filled with love and hope and she no longer felt pain.

She opened her eyes and saw nothing but shades of blue. She stepped back and looked down at her son who was looking around with wonder.

"Where are we?"

Regina looked at the blue walls and the floor which was a shade darker and laughed to herself as she met Henry's blue eyes. She knelt down before him, pushing hair from his forehead as she pressed her lips against the warm skin.

"I thought I wouldn't see you again," she whispered as she stroked his cheek, and smiled as she leaned into it slightly.

"This is still a dream, isn't it?"

Regina smiled sadly and nodded, "Yes, sweetheart, it is. I'm so sorry that I did this to you but I don't have much time."

"Emma taught me to ride a horse," Henry interrupted as his sharp eyes flashed around the empty room.

Regina chuckled before smiling widely, "Did she?"

"She said that you taught her."

"I did…"

"We're still in the fire room," Henry interrupted, and Regina sighed. "Mom, what did you do?"

"I never wanted you to get hurt," his mother answered.

"What did you-"

"Henry," Regina pleaded. "I know that you're angry and that you're hurt but I need you to trust me. I did this for you. When you wake up, you'll understand but I need you to know that I don't regret it and I would do it again and again because I love you. Please believe me."

"No," the boy's bottom lip quivered as he shook his head. "I was-"

"You need to wake up."

"No," Henry wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her tightly. Regina swallowed a sob as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and leaned down to kiss the top of his head before pushing him away.

"I need you to wake up," she whispered as she felt the room come to life.

She screamed as the flames flew from the walls and floors, wrapping themselves around her like chains. She took a breath and saw panic in her son's blue eyes and smiled, "I can do this for you Henry now please wake up."

"Mommy!" he screamed as she was whipped again with angry flames.

"Mommy!"

She saw him fade as he screamed for her, and sighed in relief before feeling the flames again, attacking her.

She jolted up in the small cot, crying out as pain tore at her skin. She saw burns marking her hands, arms, legs and stomach and she knew they would be on her back too. She swallowed hard before summoning her magic to her skin, healing herself as she thought of Henry and Emma riding horses.

She looked down, breathing easily as her skin became smooth again.

"Oy!"

She pulled open the door and saw a curious captain on the other side. He had a smirk on his lips and an arched eyebrow, "Heard you screaming and…"

"You thought you'd be a hero and come and save me," Regina deadpanned.

"Something like that," Hook chuckled, before stepping back as Regina pushed past him. "So did you find what we needed?"

"No," the brunette answered without looking back at him. She lifted her hand, flicked her wrist and summoned the mirror to her hand. "I got what I needed."

"A mirror?" Hook asked as he followed the woman to the throne room.

"I keep forgetting you're not from this world," the former queen mumbled. She sat in the throne, focusing on her reflection.

"Are you expecting the mirror to tell you that you're beautiful?"

Regina rolled her eyes as she flicked her wrist, gagging the captain with an apple. He took a bite of it before tossing it up and down in his hand, chewing loudly. She looked up at him, disapproval lacing her features.

"I don't know how to get home," she admitted after a moment.

He smirked and bit into the apple again, "This is a good apple."

She rolled her eyes as she looked back into the reflection, "He smashed it."

"Who smashed what?"

"Rumplestiltskin smashed his mirror," she stood up, smoothing out the wrinkles in her tunic.

"Right," Hook took another bite out of the fruit. "Because he's ugly?"

Regina sighed with exasperation, "I made a deal with him and he bent his side…"

Hook laughed loudly causing the woman to glare. He moved closer to the former queen, "Are you really surprised? That man is a-"

"I know!" She snapped and walked away, her hands tucking themselves into her pockets.

"So am guessing we're going to visit Midas then," Hook grinned.

As the horses climbed to the top of the rocky hills bordering the Enchanted Forests Regina looked behind her. She pulled her mare to a halt as she looked down, seeing the steeple of the Summer Palace as it reigned over the tall, luscious green trees. Beyond that the black tower of the dark palace, peering from the Deep Forest which ran along the edge of the enchanted land. She could see the brilliant blues of large lakes, and the stony mountain whose castle they had left in the early morning. She smiled sadly as she remembered being so young, trying to escape this land on her trusty steed Rocinante only for her mother to stop her. Had she known then what she knew now, she would have tried harder.

"Have you never been this far?"

She turned to Hook's question, surprise in his arched brow, a smug smirk playing on his lips and curiosity in his voice.

She sneered at him as she kicked her horse into movement, "I have been further than this world."

"Whatever you say, your Majesty," Hook stated. "You know we'd be there faster if you did your purple smoke thing."

"I know," she hissed as she carefully steered the mare over the narrow, rocky paths, stones rolling as hooves hit the ground. She could hear him laugh as she swore when the horse slipped slightly and fought the urge to toss him to the ground.

It was when darkness threatened to steal the sun for this night that Regina pulled the horse to a halt. They had been through the barren lands between her kingdom and the next one, a reminded of a time long before her existence, of wars and battles over beasts and powers. They had been through the New Land, named as it was yet untouched by a kingdom due to legends that its waters were of poison and its dirt deadly. Regina had heard the stories as a child and was hesitant to believe them, but still couldn't trust herself to let the horse graze. They had reached the edges of Midas' kingdom, its border adorned with statues of gold, some designed, some accidental and some punished traitors.

"I think he is rich," Hook deadpanned and chuckled when he saw the queen roll her eyes. "And we have company…"

Regina straightened her back, sitting proud as the army of men approached them, each wearing a long tunic of orange over suits of chainmail and each pointing sharpened swords at them.

"I demand an audience with your king," Regina said, her tone clear and her words crystal as she once again became queen.

The soldier at the front laughed, "And who do you think you are?"

The brunette arched an eyebrow, and grinned, "I am Queen Regina-"

She could hear the gasp and the low murmurs from several of the men that stood before her and couldn't help but smile as she could sense their fear. She raised her hand, letting her magic crackle to her fingertips, sparks of purple eliciting from them as she swiped her hand over them, laughing as they ducked at the threat.

"And I demand an audience with your king," she repeated.

"There is a warrant for your capture," the first soldier said, his stance bold and his face as old as hers, was brave.

"So capture me then," she jested, her hands in front of her, offering them up for chains. "Or bring me to your king…"

"He will kill you," The soldier announced, determination in his tone as he lowered his sword. "His daughter vanished because of your curse…"

"I am guessing that you have a spot amongst these glorious statues for little old me then," she chuckled.

"Your companion?" The armoured man nodded to Hook who was watching with bemusement.

"I'm-"

"No one important," Regina interrupted. "I'm getting bored."

She let the magic crackle, her grin widening as she raised her hand high over the army before her, before whispering a single word, "Sleep."

"Seriously?" Hook asked as he watched the men fall to the ground, slumber stealing them away for a while. The orange-clothed soldiers slept on the grass, on each other, snores escaping their throats as they tossed and turned as they would in their own beds. "I thought you were supposed to be evil."

Regina ignored him as she guided the horse carefully around the men, trying not to disturb or to hurt them as they slept peacefully. She guided the animal through the village surrounding the large castle, its inhabitants staring at them warily, mothers catching their small children, holding onto them tightly as they stepped backwards away from the two riders while men stood tall, yet not wanting to move closer. She was reminded of the times she had ruled a kingdom where people feared her, fleeing from the sound of her carriage and wondered if she were to announce her name in this kingdom would they do the same thing. She smiled sadly to herself and she realised that yes, they would.

The castle was white, even in the twilight it was bright white, surrounded by high walls with towers at each corner. The drawbridge was down, and Regina crossed it without hesitance, looking down at the soldiers defending the large building of white brick and gold tiled roof. These knights had spears instead of swords, yet donned the kingdom's colours on their tunics and watched her with brave eyes. She climbed of her horse as she reached the centre of the courtyard. She looked up at the darkening sky, the full moon pushing through the blackness, before casting her eyes around the interior of the courtyard. The soldiers were moving towards her, weapons held high and she pushed her hand out, purple magic seeping from her fingertips.

"I am Queen Regina of the Enchanted Forest and the Deep Forest and their kingdoms and I demand an audience with King Midas," she commanded, before looking over at the soldiers closest to her. "I have news of his daughter."

The soldier studied her closely before nodding at her. They beckoned for her to follow and she did just that, through the large entrance, Hook on her heels. The inside of the great hall was glorious, the corner with a grand piano and a harp, the round table in the centre encircled with tall chairs, large chandeliers with lit candles hung low from the high ceiling and a raised platform overseeing the hall with a large throne ornate with etchings of eagles; all of which was gold.

"I see time treated you better than me, your Majesty."

She looked up to the throne and was surprised to see such an elderly man sat within it, almost sinking into the opulence of his gold robe. His skin was wrinkled, his face tired, his hair thin and grey, his crown almost sinking onto his eyes and his hands in gloves as they held onto a cane. He pushed himself forward, trying desperately to see the brunette woman.

"Come closer," he beckoned, his voice still strong.

She moved to him, abandoning the magic in her fingers, stepping up onto the platform and permitting for the old man to study her.

"You have the power to stop time?" he asked, almost pleading.

She shook her head and he reached forward to touch her but she easily stepped back, "I have heard the legend of Midas' touch."

He chuckled, "And I have heard the legend of the evil queen's curse."

The two studied each other carefully, trying to decide which of them was more threatened before Regina stepped back slightly, "I understand that you have water from Lake Nostros in your possession."

"I have much in my possession," he chuckled, gesturing to the contents of the hall. "I am a very wealthy man, so wealthy that I don't remember most of what I own."

Regina smirked as she placed her hands in her pockets and looked down at the elderly king, "I am sure you would remember something like the power to revive what is lost."

"I am old now," he sneered. "My memory is not what it used to be."

The brunette growled as she pulled free her hand and pushed magic from deep within to her fingertips, creating a fireball in her hand. She cast it at the harp, her hand still held high as she summoned the heat to rise within the ball of flames, melting the gold strings, each snapping with a musical ping followed by the harp melting to nothing but a pool on the floor.

"Wow."

Regina heard Hook behind her, but her eyes had returned to the king's, "Did that help you remember?"

Midas laughed loudly, "I can turn anything into gold. Do you really think I will miss the harp?"

Regina cast another fireball of immense heat at the round table, at the piano, at the chairs, at the tapestries upon the wall, each melting into pools of gold liquid, before turning onto the king, fireball swirling above the palm of her hand. He stood up gingerly, and moved slowly away from the throne. He raised an eyebrow at her, daring her to throw it. She threw it with force at the throne and it melted with the same smoothness as everything else. She turned to see the king no longer wearing a glove, his hand mere inches from her shoulder.

She moved backwards, magic at her fingertips as another fireball came into creation in her palm. She lifted it and prepared to throw as he stepped closer to her. She could feel the edge of the platform at the heel of her boot and inhaled deeply as she raised her hand higher. He smirked as he stepped closer, his hand a mere inch from her cheek and she swallowed as the fireball extinguished in her hand, her fingers closing into her palm as her eyes closed.

"Ow!"

She opened her eyes to see Midas against the wall, his hand held out of her reach by the hook of the pirate. He grimaced as his hook went from silver to gold, only to smile when the touch reached no further.

He looked over at the king, "Are you going to behave now and tell the good queen what she needs to know?"

"She cursed my daughter!" he spat out. "I will never give her what she wants."

"Even if your daughter is alive," she asked as she picked up the black glove from the floor and handed it to him.

He frowned at her as he took the glove and replaced it over his cursed fingers, "The legend about the evil queen is incredibly exaggerated."

Regina chuckled slightly, "No, it isn't."

She turned to find soldiers approaching her, weapons held high, wary as they moved. She looked back at the elderly man and saw him as frail, not mighty as his people saw him, "I could kill you."

"Yes, you could but for some reason you won't," he nodded to his men before holding his gloved hand up to them. "Would you come with me for a moment?"

Regina arched an eyebrow and tilted her head curiously as the old man stepped slowly of the platform onto the hard floor, almost drowning in his royal robes. She glanced at his soldiers who had all stood to attention, their spears at their sides and heads held high before looking at Hook who merely shrugged. The captain jumped off the platform, his leather boots hitting the gold tiles of the floor hard. The king turned slowly to him and shook his head, "Only the queen."

Hook looked up at the brunette who still had not moved but a smirk had grown on her face. She climbed down slowly and followed the old man, reaching his side. He held out his gloved hand and she shook her head, took it as regal manners would dictate, her hand upon his as he guided her out of the room through a narrow corridor. They reached a solid door of gold, and before it stood a lone soldier standing to attention. The king nodded, and the young soldier bowed his head and pushed the door open with a heave and a grunt.

The two royal members stepped inside the room and the old man breath became short as he leaned heavily on his cane, dropping the brunette's hand. Regina ran her hand through her dark locks as she looked up, surprise dancing in her dark eyes. The room was bare, dark stones lining the walls, oak wood tiles the floor, the ceiling as high as the castle, empty and cold but for the few lit torches on the wall and the life-size statue that stood in the centre of the room. She recognised the statue to be that of Abigail, daughter of Midas and stepped closer, seeing that it was of marble and not of gold as she would have expected.

She turned to the old man, seeing the love in his eyes for the woman the statue depicts and tightened her features as she inhaled and exhaled slowly. Midas ignored her as he felt age in his bones, and fatigue in his mind.

"Is she well?"

Regina thought about the kind blonde who had trusted her with ease as she tricked her over and over, and sighed, "I presume so."

"She is with Frederick?"

Regina honestly didn't know but chose to lie with a simple nod of her head.

"I had thought you to be evil."

Regina laughed without feeling before letting a wicked grin lie on her lips as she turned fully to the elderly king, "Would you rather I rip your heart from your body and squeeze it until I get what I want?"

Midas studied her for a beat before chuckling, "I am already near death."

Regina shook her head, "What would you need for me to take the water?"

"Why do you need it?"

"Why do you?" Regina snapped back before pursing her lips and looking back at the statue, "You were going to use the water to find her but the water only revives what is lost in this world."

"When Abigail was taken, I had order for this statue to be commissioned. I wanted it to be pure and perfect and untouched by my curse," Midas moved closer to the marble form, his eyes fixed upon the smooth carved features inspired by his daughter's face.

"I wish to go home," Regina whispered.

Midas turned to the young woman standing next to him, a look of hope and sadness in her brown eyes and smiled gently as he spoke softly, "When Frederick's curse had broken I had expected her to return here but she didn't. I had wondered why for a long time but never found my answer. You took that from me."

"I know," Regina admitted softly.

"Her mother died bringing her into the world," the old man's voice gravelled. "I was cursed with the gold touch because of my greedy and selfish nature and even the day my young wife was taken from the world that nature continued. I was angry as I had no heir and did not care for a daughter."

He chuckled as his mind went to a time of the past, "Yet, when I laid eyes on her… oh, she was the most beautiful creature I had ever laid eyes upon and I made it my will to make her happy. She fell in love with a simple sold-"

Regina frowned as she recognised something in this tale, "You cursed her love?"

Midas nodded, "It was easy. Frederick was truly the most good, brave and loyal soldier I had and I knew that he would deny his own air for my life…"

"You cursed her love," Regina whispered, anger in her eyes. "And she never knew."

"Princesses marry princes, not soldiers," Midas stated with guilt. "But she had the curse broken and had run away with him… she had heard I was angry at the broken engagement between her and Prince James. Your curse took her and I wanted you dead for a long time. But as time has been kind to you and not to me, I find myself not caring for fortune, appearance or expectation, just for my daughter's happiness. If she is with her Frederick then she must be happy. I thank you for that."

Regina smirked and rolled her eyes to the high ceiling, inhaling deeply, "Will you give me the water?"

"Will you speak to her on my behalf?" Midas asked and Regina glanced at him before looking at the statue.

"Untouched by your curse," she mumbled as she stepped closer to the marble form. "Clever."

Midas stepped back as he saw realisation fall upon the smooth features of the young queen, "She is happy and safe."

Regina ignored the old man's quiet rambling as she ran her fingertips over the marble before stretching her hand, pulsing magic from her palm, shattering the adored statue to pieces. She smirked as she looked down at the base, where now exposed but once protected a small glass bottle of pure Nostros water. She bent down to pick it up and pocketed it carefully before turning to the frail, old man who was leaning on his cane, tears spilling from his eyes as he stared at the ruins of his beloved memorial.

She stepped close to him and smiled wickedly, "Because you gave me this gift, I will give you one in return… I will not tell your daughter that you had cursed her love."

"Thank you."

"But I will not tell her anything else either."

Midas swallowed air deep into his lungs, before letting out a raspy breath, "Maybe you are evil."

Regina laughed, "Maybe I am."

She walked out of the room, ignoring the elderly man behind her and his loyal soldier on the door. She swept through the great hall, seeing Hook leaning against the wall, rolling small orbs of gold in his hand.

"We're done here," she commanded as she walked past him and the soldiers into the courtyard where her chestnut mare stood waiting. She pulled herself up onto the saddle, and clicked her tongue as she turned the horse to leave the palace at a calm canter. She could hear Hook behind her, but did not look around. She eased her horse into a gallop as she saw the statues that border the Gold Kingdom and didn't slow down until the statues stood behind her. She pulled into a halt and turned to see the pirate on the white horse pull up behind her trying to catch his breath, a red flush in his cheeks from chasing her.

"We need to find somewhere to rest for the night," she commanded as she clicked her tongue again.

"Did you get what we needed?"

"Of course, I did, she smirked as he chuckled behind her.

The moon lit their path through the edges of the New Land, before reaching the strait of water, the wide stream that leads to the land of dwarves. She slid of the horse and glanced up at the cliff beyond them, knowing the dwarves would be behind there.

"Are we in need of some fairy dust too?"

"Are the fairies still here?" Regina asked, as she turned to see the fireflies hover over the water and smiled as she did when she first heard of this place as a child, Firefly Valley.

"Fairies are everywhere," Hook answered. "A bloody pain too. Like shiny wasps."

"We rest here tonight."

Hook climbed of his horse, and pulled his satchel free from the saddle and dropped it to the ground. He sat down carelessly, not caring about the dust on his leather trousers as he pulled out the canteen from the satchel and drank greedily from it before offering it to the standing queen who looked at him in disgust.

He laughed, "More for me then."

He watched her as he drank. She stood on the banks, a silhouette in the night sky, her face smooth of worries, her eyes sparkling and her lips curled in a small smile as the light of thousands of fireflies filled the darkness.

"Did you kill Midas?"

Regina shook her head, "No, I didn't."

"Huh," Hook nodded as he pushed his bag to the trunk of the tree. "Not as evil as they say you are."

Regina eyes remained trained upon the fire bugs as she sneered, "It was they that put the word evil in my name, not me."

Hook chuckled as he lay back, his head resting on the satchel as if it were a pillow, his hooked hand resting on his stomach, his hand wrapped around the neck of the canteen. He twitched his back and kicked one of his legs out before closing his eyes.

Regina's sat down on a rock, her dark eyes darting from fire bug to fire bug, as if watching a firework display in silence.

"Tomorrow we leave," his words intruded her thoughts and she turned, her mask of indifference in place.

"Your ship? It's ready?" Regina asked as she turned to the pirate whose eyes were closed. She saw him nod and turned her eyes back to the fireflies.

Hook's snore filled the night sky as she leaned her back against the rock, her legs stretched out before her and her eyes focused on the light show, rolling the beans in her hand. She pushed one deep into the soil at her side, pouring the water over it drop by drop, gasping as it flourished with life, no longer wizened but full and beginning to bloom. She covered them with dirt and saw the tiny sprouts of life begin. She held the bottle upright, still mostly full and pocketed it alongside the beans which she replaced in their pouch. She hovered her hand over the small plant and felt magic come to her palms but sighed as the pirate coughed and one of the horses snorted. She slid further down against the rock, leaning her head against the cool surface and as much as she fought it, sleep took her.

She felt the flames wrap around her before knowing what was happening, and screamed as the burns dug deep into her olive skin. Chains of fire entangled themselves around her wrists, her ankles, her waist, her neck, pulling at her, tugging at her, dragging shrill screams and hoarse cries from deep within her.

"No!"

She heard the voice as flames shot from the ground, licking at her every inch, causing her to plead.

"No!"

She looked up as the flame whipped against her back and saw a brilliant white light. It lasted mere seconds and her pain ceased, and then she felt it, felt her. But a mere second was all it lasted, before the flames roared up onto her again, entrapping her and engulfing her, pulling screams from deep within.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thank you all kindly for the favourites, follows and reviews. I hope that you enjoy this next chapter. Please let me know what you think.

**Chapter Six: The Branch**

"You saw Regina?"

Henry nodded at his mother as he drank water from the glass Snow handed him, both hands wrapped around it. His cheeks were still flush and his hair sting clung to his forehead, but his breathing had regulated and his heartbeat had calmed down. Emma was lying next to him, her back against the back of the sofa, her hand rubbing his back gently.

"She said that she wanted to and it wasn't my fault," he said quietly as he looked up into the green eyes of his mother.

"Regina took your nightmares?" Snow repeated the same question that the boy had been asked several times already.

"And it was really hurting her," he pressed closer to the blonde, the memory of fire hitting his mother still strong in his mind. He felt Emma pull him closer, hugging him gently and he whispered, "We have to rescue her…"

"We will," Emma promised as she pressed a kiss into his hair.

"She's my mom," he murmured and felt the sad smile against his head as Emma nodded.

The blonde looked over his head at her parents, David sat on the edge of the sofa-bed and Snow stood behind him and raised both eyebrows, the question in her eyes and Snow smiled while David exhaled loudly and looked up at his wife. The brunette pressed her hand on his shoulder squeezing it making him lift his own hand and placing it upon hers.

Snow spoke gently to her prince, "We could use the fairy dust, but you'll need to speak to the dwarves."

"You do that," David stated. "They love their precious Snow so are more likely to listen to you about saving Regina. But we're going to need more than fairy dust."

"You almost sound jealous of the seven dwarves," Emma chuckled as Henry and Snow laughed.

"They do," David argued, a smile on his lips. "Oh Snow, our wonderful and fair queen."

Snow punched him gently in the shoulder and he faked pain before catching her hand and kissing it softly, causing his daughter and his grandson to roll their eyes.

"Blue might help us," his wife offered, a full smile on her lips as she ran her fingers through her husband's short hair. "She's not going to be a huge fan of the idea but we can tell her that we all-"

"Owe Emma," David finishes her sentence with a small smile, looking over at his daughter who blushed shyly.

"It's not going to be easy," Snow warned. "These people hate her for what she has done, and when we tried to save you we couldn't find the magic to open a portal… even with Rumpel-"

"He wasn't helping," David interrupted. "He was trying to stop them from crossing. He stole the last batch of dust-"

"We just won't tell him," Henry piped up, a wide grin on his face. "We can keep it a secret…"

"We're getting help from a lot of people, kid," Emma ran her fingers through his hair, absently thinking that he needs a haircut. "It'll be a hard secret to keep but he left town…"

"He left town- how?" Snow asked. "The line…"

"I don't know," Emma asked. "And Belle wasn't much help either."

"He must have found a way…"

"Or… oh Regina," Emma whispered, her voice lost in the air as the name escaped her lip.

"You don't think she..." Snow asked before trailing off as Emma nodded, a weak smile on her lips.

"What did she do?" David asked, his look of confusion matched with his grandson's own. "What did Regina-"

"She made a deal with Gold," Emma offered as she stood up and ran her hand through her blonde locks. "He has suddenly disappeared and she took Henry's nightmares… she made a deal with that fu-"

"And we will find a way to help her," Snow interrupted, diving forward to cover Henry's ears while glaring at her daughter.

"I know those words," Henry giggled. "I'm ten."

"So you don't get to say those words," David told him as he ruffled his hair. "If Gold is gone, then keeping this rescue plan secret will be a lot easier."

Henry grinned before looking at his mother, "We need to give it a name…"

Emma laughed, "Operation Scorpion?"

Henry shook his head, "We used that name for your rescue."

Emma smiled, "Good name."

"I think hot chocolate is needed," Snow announced as she looked up at the clock, seeing the little hand on the two.

When Emma had crept out of the apartment, the sun was barely rising, casting rays of red across the sleeping town. She closed the door quietly trying hard not to wake the sleeping occupants but not before casting her eyes onto her son who was sprawled out on the sofa-bed, his leg dangling over the side, his arm flung across his forehead and his snore content. She climbed into her car, and rolled her eyes to the roof as emotions and fatigue caught up to her. She took a breath as she sighed Regina's name.

She eased the car onto Mifflin Street and pulled up at the edge of the path leading to the white mansion. She got out and looked up at the door, planks still in place. She climbed up the steps and grabbed the planks with her hands, pulling them until eventually they broke free, causing her to stumble slightly. She tossed them aside as she reached for the handle to open the door, and found it locked. She rolled her eyes and fished into her pocket, pulling free the keys with a H key-ring hanging from them, and pushed one of them into the lock, smiling as she heard it click free. She pushed open the door with a held breath, expecting to see destruction but found everything as it should be. She stepped inside, closing the door behind her as she looked up and around at the white painted walls, the long winding staircase and the open archway into the kitchen. She walked through the rooms, recognising the study where she once shared a cider with the brunette, the kitchen where she was given that fateful apple turnover, and through the window she could see the apple tree.

She stepped backwards and climbed the stairs, one step at a time, her fingers running along the dusty banister as she gazed at the photos of Henry growing up. She had never had the chance to see them before, the constant fighting always being a preventive aid. She couldn't help but smile at the little boy's grin, immortalised on paper behind white and black frames. She reached the top and rubbed her dusty fingers on her blue jeans and walked down the hallway. She peered into her son's room, seeing everything a little boy should have as a bedroom, and not a sofa-bed in sight. She sat down on the single bed, its sheets still unmade as they had been the morning the curse broke. She lay back, her feet still touching the floor as she looked up, seeing the model plane hanging from the ceiling. This bedroom was why she gave him up, because she could never have given him this life, this world, this much. She sat up as the sun shone its brilliant rays through the panelled window and beamed onto the bed, warming her face.

She left the room, and ventured further towards the master bedroom. She pushed the door open and smirked as she saw the neatness of the room. She acknowledged the large bed, its sheets turned down and its cover perfectly straight and smooth. She picked up the white pillow and inhaled the fast fading scent that was Regina before replacing it as she looked over at the corner where a large armchair sat and then at the end table with a lamp, a clock and a photo of Henry. She stood and pulled open the large doors of the closet open, and smiled as she saw the neatly arranged outfits hung from the rack and the many pairs of shoes lining the floor. She turned to the vanity table opposite the bed and rolled her eyes at how uncluttered it was. She picked up the red lipstick that she had seen many times upon the brunette's lips and ran her finger gently over it, allowing a smudge of the colour onto her tip.

She pushed open the door of the en-suite and saw it as perfectly arranged as the bedroom was and smiled, unsurprised.

She left the room as she found it with the exception of a pillow slightly out of place and a closet doors slightly unopened. She walked back down the stairs into the study and her eyes went straight to the photo of Regina and Henry that sat on the bookcase. She moved to it, running her fingers over the brunette's face, her make-up immaculate, her hair perfectly coiffed, her clothes smart and her smile small as she hugged the boy close to her.

She returned to the apartment to find Henry sitting at the counter, eating cereal as Snow cleaned up around him and David was talking on the phone.

She ruffled the boy's hair as she nodded at Snow before turning to climb up the stairs.

"Emma, wait!" David called out. "Can I call you back later?"

He hung up without waiting, "We're meeting with the high counsel this afternoon and thought you'd like to be there."

"The high counsel?" Emma asked.

"Granny, Ruby, the seven dwarves, Archie-"

Emma laughed suddenly before looking at her confused parents sheepishly, "Sorry, the seven dwarves… it makes me laugh."

She winked at Henry's smile and nodded, "Yeah, sorry, where are we meeting?"

"At the town hall," Snow informed her and Emma nodded, before returning to her journey upstairs.

"Are you hun-"

She had not heard the rest of the question, choosing to shut out the voices with her bedroom door. She fell onto her bed, sleep taking her quickly. She opened her eyes as she felt weight on her bed and rolled over to see her son sitting there, his legs over the side, a picture frame in his hand. She sat up, peering over his shoulder and recognised the photo. She pulled herself up, seating herself behind the boy, pulling him closer to her as she rested her chin on his shoulder.

"You went to my house," he mumbled and felt her nod against his shoulder. "I would have come…"

"I know kid," she said softly.

"I like this photo," he whispered as he ran his finger over Regina's face. "Graham was making me laugh…"

Emma smiled as she wrapped her arms around the little boy, "It's a good photo…"

"Mom liked it too," he informed her and she smiled again.

"We will get her back," he asked, his voice sounding so small and Emma hugged him tighter. "I know that's she evil and that she did really bad things but…"

"She isn't evil," Emma argued. "Your mom saved my life… and she helped me get back here to you. If she was really evil, she would have just left me behind."

"I guess."

Emma smiled at the mumbled tone, "And she would never have made that deal with Gold for your nightmares…. And, she wouldn't have raised such an extraordinary, beautiful, kind, brave and good boy if she were so evil."

She felt his tears fall onto her hand and turned him to face her. She smiled as she wiped his tears away, "Kid-"

Henry looked into her eyes and smiled warmly, "I can be brave…"

"Oh, I know you're brave," Emma laughed. "You got on the bus to Boston to get me all by yourself…"

Henry beamed at the memory, before laughing as he felt her fingers tickling his ribs. He shrieked as she became relentless with the tickles, throwing him on the bed and laughing as he wriggled, the photo frame falling to the floor. They both stopped as they heard the thud and looked down at it, both sets of eyes falling upon Regina's face before looking back at each other.

"I want to help," Henry stated and Emma smiled, rolling to her side, her cheek resting on her palm as her elbow pressed into the mattress.

"Kid, there is no one in this world I trust more than you to bring your Mom back," Emma pushed his hair from his forehead and continued. "I'm going to need your help with Operation?"

"Tarantula," Henry supplied and Emma chuckled.

"Okay then," she sat up and leaned over to pick up the photo and rested it on her bedside table. "Practise your cute kid puppy dog eyes trick and your sad "But she's my mommy" voice and I'll bring out the "I'm the Saviour" and "Hello, tiny baby in a magic wardrobe" guns."

Henry giggled and Emma ruffled his hair and dragged him off the bed, so they were both standing.

"No."

"What do you mean? No?" Emma snapped as she stood up, the chair scraping against the vinyl floors of the diner. She glowered down at Leroy who glared up at her, his hand wrapped around his beer bottle.

"I am not helping that witch and nothing you say will make me say otherwise," he snapped at her, spittle flying from his lips.

"Emma, she did terrible things… she killed people," the blue fairy explained. "People we love… and she enjoyed doing it."

"She's trying to be better," Emma turned to the nun. "She saved my life… she got me here. She raised my son!"

"She made your son think that he was crazy," Gepetto piped up for the first time in this meeting.

"Exactly," Leroy snapped.

"But-" Archie tried.

"And she tried to kill your mother so many times," Leroy ignored the shrink, standing as he continued to rant. "She is better off over there… actually, dead would be better."

"And you're the good guys," Emma said bitterly, her eyes cast upon the sad eyes that belonged to her son.

"She could have killed us," David spoke for the first time in the hour that they had been in the diner. He sat next to his wife and felt her small hand take his as he cleared his throat to continue. "Regina could have killed us once she cast the curse… she could have destroyed my wife, but she didn't."

"The framing for murder thing?" Ruby reminded him.

"I believed that Snow was guilty," David admitted. "And you all called her a whore for wrecking a marriage…"

"It wasn't even a real marriage," Leroy sneered.

"Aren't we supposed to be the good guys?" Emma asked, her father sitting down, deflation in his eyes.

"My daughter is asking us to trust her and to believe in her," David spoke in hushed tones, his eyes on Emma before looking back upon the others. "She is asking us to help her save Regina because Regina saved her."

"After she took her away for 28 years!" Granny bit out.

"That wasn't Regina," Snow offered. "That was us… the very people around this table. We chose to listen to Blue and we chose to build that wardrobe and we chose to put this tiny, beautiful baby girl inside it, and we chose to give her the responsibility of saving us from a curse that just made us forget and unaware of what we once were. We chose to put the weight of our lives onto the shoulders of a new-born baby. That was not Regina. That was us…"

"But if she hadn't-"

"Yes, Grumpy, if she hadn't case the curse we wouldn't be here… but neither would my grandson…"

Henry looked at her and smiled before casting his eyes on Emma who simply nodded at him. He reached into his backpack and pulled out the book and slammed it on the table. He opened it up onto Leroy's story.

"You used to be Dreamy," he said tapping on the illustration and heard Emma's light snigger. He watched the glare the dwarf gave the blonde woman but continued. "And Blue Fairy took your dream from you. She made you sacrifice your love for fairy dust… that wasn't my Mom. My Mom never made you grumpy… you did because of Blue and Bossy."

"I really need to read that book," Emma mumbled as she watched the colour leave the dwarf's face as he looked up at Blue who had the decency to look away.

"And you Ruby," the boy turned to the werewolf, flipping the pages in his book. "You ate people. You ate the man you loved because Granny lied to you. She kept your wolf a secret. If she had just told you the truth, you would have worn your cape and you wouldn't have eaten…"

He trailed off as he saw grief in the young waitress's face and guilt in her grandmother's.

"And Archie, you're supposed to be the conscience… you let your parents trick and deceive people and you stood back while they killed Gepetto's parents…" Henry then spun in his seat to look at the old man. "And Gepetto, you lied to Snow and David about the wardrobe… you said there was only room for one so you could save Pinnochio, forcing them to put Emma into this world alone… and Blue helped you lie."

Snow gasped and David glared at Blue who bowed her head. Henry flipped through the pages of the book, falling onto the story of the stable boy, and ran his fingers over the illustration, "My mom didn't do any of that. You all did, but you're the good guys and we forgive you for it… but my mom can be a good guy too… she's my mom."

Snow leaned over the table and patted the small boy's hand, and smiled warmly, "You did good."

Emma chuckled and ran her fingers through his brown hair and nodded in agreement.

"She was different when I spoke to her," Archie stated. "She was still Regina, but she was not the Evil Queen."

"And I was happy to not remember what I had done," Ruby murmured as she stood up to turn on the coffee pot again.

"And I quite like not being a cricket," Archie offered. "Henry is right, we have to be better than we are. We have to be those heroes in children's stories or we are just lies. Regina saved Emma's life. She raised Henry… she took Henry's nightmares. I think this says that she is trying."

"I still want her punished," Blue stated and David nodded in agreement.

"She will be," he assured. "But by Emma's law not ours."

Emma looked at her father and nodded, "So how do we open a portal or do you guys have a weird counsel aye/nay vote thing?"

They all looked at her with odd expressions and she shrugged, "Okay, all those aboard for Operation Tarantula, say aye?"

"Aye," Henry shouted and he was quickly followed by Archie and Ruby. Gepetto nodded and Granny grunted. Blue sighed and said yes while Leroy and the other dwarves looked to Snow. David rolled his eyes at their devotion before looking at his daughter. He nodded his head and turned to his wife.

Snow felt him squeeze her hand and she looked around at her friends, remembering their loyalty in fighting on her side in her battle against the queen. She looked at her daughter, "Yes."

""Fine, what do we do?" Leroy barked out. "We still don't know how to open a portal."

"We should speak to Rumpel-"

"No!" Henry and Emma said at once, interrupting the waitress who jumped in surprise.

"We used the ashes of the wardrobe to get back here," Emma explained. "Couldn't we use the tree where I was found here to get to open a portal on this side?"

"But I can't step over the line without forgetting who I am," Blue stated. "None of the fairies can…"

"I can," Emma stated.

"She could bring some of it back," Archie stated. "Emma could find the tree and chop it off a branch or something. If ashes worked to get her here, then a branch could work the other way, right?"

Emma shrugged her shoulders and cockily nodded, "I can do that… I've learned how to do that. Just need a chainsaw."

Henry sniggered and Emma smiled at him before looking back at Blue, "So I get the branch and bring it back here and you magic it open and I go and get Regina back here…"

"The portal only stays open for a short while," Blue explains. "Once you go through, it closes and we're back to where we began… you over there and us trying to get you out."

"Well that's shitty," Emma exhaled and ignored her mother's scolding look at her language. "So we need to get word to Regina that she needs to be where the portal opens?"

"How can we do that?"

"She talked to us through mirrors," Archie offered. "Maybe we can do the same…"

"Yeah, can we do that?" Emma looked back at the nun who considered it for a moment.

"It's magic I don't know," Blue stated before sighing. "But that's not the only problem."

"Oh for God's sake," Emma shouted, patience no longer her friend. "What else could there possibly be?"

"I have no idea where the portal will open in that world…"

"Fuck!"

"Emma!" Snow warned as Ruby covered the little boy's ears.

"Henry don't say those words because they're bad, right kid?" Emma glances at her son who was squirming out of the waitress's hold, before looking back at Blue. "Okay, we'll do what we can do… branch and magic. Once we're talking to Regina, she might have an idea about where it opens over there…"

"We're going to need some fairy dust," Doc announced and Blue nodded to them.

"And I need a chainsaw," Emma announced. She reached the door of the diner and turned to her parents and their friends. "I don't know- thank you."

She left the diner, Henry following her closely, and she raised an eyebrow at him as he sat in the passenger seat. She turned over the engine and saw his smile growing. She ran her fingers through his hair, "You did really good kid. Your mom would be so proud of you."

They turned to see Granny pull open the trunk and place something into it. Emma wound down the window and leaned out, a question in her brow only for the older woman to bark out, "Chainsaw."

Emma nodded, a smile on her face before looking over at her son who shrugged as if this was normal behaviour.

"Her story isn't in the book…"

"Who? Granny?"

"No… my Mom… the stable boy bit is… but not the rest…"

"One day, she'll tell you kid," Emma said as she pulled the bug out of parking and eased them down main street.

"Did she tell you?"

Emma ignored the question and watched as they approached the orange line, "Ready to see where I was born into this world?"

"Still not as cool as being born into jail," Henry joked and Emma mocked a gasp.

"Low blow," she chuckled as she passed the orange line.

The drive was short and quiet, but felt long as the afternoon sun turned into the evening one and the sky became enveloped in hues of orange and red. They reached the woods and Emma pulled the car to a stop, trying to remember where August had taken her next. She got out of the car and pulled open the trunk, grabbing the chainsaw.

"You know if normal people saw us, they'd arrest us," Henry mused as he slammed the door.

"Two things: A) Don't slam the door on the bug and B) They'd arrest me because I'm the grown up."

"True," Henry nodded and followed the blonde through the woods.

They spent a while going from tree to tree before Henry exhaled loudly, sitting down on a trunk, "It would be easier if you just cut down every tree."

Emma turned to him, holding the chainsaw before her and raised her eyebrows, "You sound like your mother, you know that…"

"And you are using that chainsaw like it's Excalibur."

"Definitely like your Mom, sarcasm and all," Emma stated before walking towards the large tree a few yards in front of them. "This is it…"

She revved up the chainsaw, grinning manically as she held it high, lopping off a branch with ease, and watching it fall to the ground. She went to do the same to another branch only for her son to shout her name. She stopped the chainsaw and turned to the boy who just rolled his eyes at her.

"When everything goes back to normal, you can be a lumberjack," he announces as he picks up the edge of the branch and drags it across the ground. "You really came through here…"

"Apparently so," Emma stated as she looked at the tree.

"Good thing August was with you then," Henry thought out loud. "Or you would have died."

The rumble of thunder made them both jump, but the crack of lightning made them step back, reaching out for each other's hand. The tree was no more; the bolt of lightning burning it into nothing but a pool of ash.

"What was that?" Henry asked as silence fell upon them both.

"No idea," Emma mumbled as she knelt before the ashes, grabbing at them , stuffing the grains she could grab into her pocket, feeling dirt, bark and leaves mixing with them.

"What are you doing?"

"Just in case," Emma whispered as she stood up, stamping the ground, burying the remains of the tree deep into the ground.

"Do you think someone did this?" Henry asked.

Emma shrugged as she looked at him, "Blue said magic doesn't work out here… but I've never been a believer of coincidences."

"Good thing, we got the branch then," Henry announced as he grabbed it with both hands.

Emma smiled sadly, "I guess… want some help there kid."

Henry grunted as he dragged the branch further, "Nope, I've got it."

Emma through the chainsaw into the trunk and pulled out some rope. She climbed up onto the roof of the car and dragged the branch onto it, her son helping her from the ground. The two of them tied the branch down and glanced at each other.

"Operation Tarantula," Emma confirmed and Henry nodded with a grin.

"Emma," Snow greeted her daughter with a smile, as Emma walked inside, an exhausted little boy next to her. "Oh Henry, sweetie, we need to get you to bed."

"He can sleep on my bed," Emma stated as she nudged her son in the direction of the stairs, and watched Snow guide the boy up to the bedroom.

She looked over at her father, "We got the branch."

David nodded, "I'll call Blue."

Emma sat down at the table, her face in her hands, and a deep sigh escaping her lips, before she rubbed her fingers down her cheeks, groaning slightly before looking up at him as he talked on the phone.

"She's on her way," he announced as he flipped his cell shut and looked over at the stairs where his wife was coming down. "He asleep?"

The knock on the door turned all their heads and Emma arched her eyebrows, "That was quick."

"I am a fairy," Blue announced as she pushed the door open, letting herself in. "I see that you managed to bring half a tree back with you."

The blonde rolled her eyes at the fairy, "Will it work?"

"It is magic," Blue nodded. "We just need the fairy dust…"

"The dwarves are still mining," David stated, as his daughter looked back at him. "Snow was about to bring them coffee."

Emma then noticed the seven flasks sitting upon the counter and chuckled lightly, "Snow White and the seven dwarves…"

"Emma," Snow scolded lightly as she crossed the space to pack the flasks and energy bars into a bag.

"It's just crazy," Emma shook her head.

"We won't be long," David said as he pulled on his jacket. "And then we can do the whole mirror thing."

Blue and Emma watched the charmed couple leave, before looking at each other, neither trusting the other one.

"How much of this fairy dust do you need?"

"As much as we can get," Blue explained as she sat down at the kitchen table, opposite the younger woman. "That tree was enchanted, already with magic… we just need to wake it up again."

"Okay," Emma nodded. "The rest of the tree is gone… lightning burnt it to the ground."

"Magic?" Blue asked and Emma shook her head.

"You said it doesn't work out there."

"No, I said that we can't leave," Blue corrected.

Emma studied her for a moment before exhaling loudly.

"What Henry said about the tree… about lying to your parents… I'm sorry."

"I get it," Emma said as she stood up and went to grab a cold bottle of beer out of the refrigerator. "You were trying to save-"

"I thought I was doing the right thing," Blue explained.

"I know," Emma lifted the bottle to her lips, her eyes on the nervous fairy. "Is this wish upon a star thing real?"

Blue smiled slightly and nodded, "Sometimes."

"What about fairy godmothers?"

Blue chuckled lightly and nodded again, "Sometimes."

"Who decides who gets wishes and godmothers then?"

"I do."

"How do you decide?"

"We hear desperation, deep sadness or loneliness in the wish… and we help…"

Emma nodded and watched Blue rise from her chair.

"Emma, we don't exist in this world… Or we didn't when you were a child."

Emma laughed as she put her beer bottle back on the counter, "I am not talking about me…"

Blue looked at the younger woman and bowed her head slightly, "Oh."

Emma's eyes went to the ceiling before looking back at the older woman, "Did you hear her wish?"

Blue turned and moved away, but the blonde grabbed her arm, her grip hard on the pale wrist, covered in a simple white cotton shirt.

"Did you hear her wish?"

"There is no point talking about this," Blue stated. "We can't turn back time."

"Did-you-hear-her-wish?" Emma's voice was low and each word enunciated.

"Yes," Blue whispered quietly.

Emma released her grip on the older woman and watched the fairy move quickly away from her.

"My hands were tied," Blue explained. "Rumple- he-"

"Emma!"

Both women turned to the door as Snow burst through, her cheeks flushed, her eyes wide. "The branch- It's on fire."

Emma ran past her, almost falling down the stairs as she raced outside, and saw in the centre of the road, the branch she had brought back, in flames.

"No!" she screamed as David caught her, holding her back. "No!"

She pulled herself free from her father's tight hold, her hands before her and pure white light catapulted from her fingers, dousing the fighting flames, killing them, destroying them in the midst of their burning dance, leaving nothing but ashes upon the road.

"Woah!"

Emma turned to her son, standing in the doorway, barefooted and clad in pyjamas, her mother behind him, her hands on his shoulders, her face in shock. She saw Blue standing next to them, her features filled with a mixture of awe and fear.

"You have magic?"


End file.
